1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for controlling character behavior in video games in which characters appear in a game space. The invention also relates to a video game machine operated in accordance with the above method and to a computer-readable recording medium on which a video game program implementing the above method is recorded.
2. Description of the Related Art
Character-raising games for raising animal characters or plant images displayed in a game space are being developed. In the character-raising games, the states of characters or images are changed over time by being fed or fertilized, or the characters or the images exhibit preset behavior in response to instructions from game players. Accordingly, the game players are able to feel as if they were actually raising plants or animals through the game screen, thereby virtually enjoying raising plants or animals.
In conventional character-raising games, however, the states of the characters or images are merely changed over time, or only preset behavior is exhibited in response to instructions from game players. Thus, even if the game players are interested in the games initially, they soon become tired of them after repeatedly playing them for a while, whereby the game fails to exhibit entertaining characteristics.
Accordingly, in view of the above background, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for controlling character behavior that implements highly entertaining video games that allow game players to enjoy the games as if they were actually playing with characters displayed on a game screen, and also to a video game machine operated in accordance with the above method and to a computer-readable recording medium on which a video game program implementing the above method is recorded.
In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video game machine that allows a character to appear in a game space displayed on a display screen of a display unit. The video game machine includes a temperament setting unit for providing a temperament of the character in accordance with an action performed on the character by a game player and the temperament of the character when the action is performed. A behavior-pattern storage unit stores a plurality of behavior patterns which are set in accordance with the temperament of the character. A behavior selection unit selects one of the behavior patterns in accordance with the temperament of the character. A behavior control unit causes the character to behave according to the behavior pattern selected by the behavior selection unit.
With this arrangement, a character appears in a game space displayed on the display screen of the display unit. The temperament setting of the character is changed according to a xe2x80x9cpraisingxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cstrokingxe2x80x9d action performed by a game player and the temperament of the character when the action is performed. The character then behaves based on the changed temperament. That is, even with the same environments and events surrounding the character, the character behaves differently according to the character""s current temperament. Accordingly, the game player is able to enjoy almost the exact feeling of playing and living with the character. It is thus possible to implement a highly entertaining video game.
According to the aforementioned video game machine, the game space may include a plurality of game scenes, and the plurality of behavior patterns may be set for a specific game scene. With this configuration, the game content becomes more complicated, thereby providing an even more entertaining video game machine.
According to the aforementioned video game machine, the behavior-pattern storage unit may store not only the behavior patterns which are set in accordance with the temperament of the character, but also behavior patterns which are set according to a lapse of a game period. The behavior selection unit may select not only one of the behavior patterns in accordance with the temperament of the character, but also one of the behavior patterns according to the lapse of the game period.
With this arrangement, the character behaves differently according to the lapse of the game period. For example, when the character is full, it ignores food. When the character becomes hungry, it demands for food. The character is awake during the day and sleeps at night. That is, the character autonomously behaves regardless of instructions given from the game player. This makes the video game highly entertaining.
The aforementioned video game machine may further include a demand-action determining unit for determining at predetermined intervals whether a demand action has been performed from the character to the game player. The behavior patterns which are set according to the lapse of the game period may include the demand actions.
This enables the game player to recognize the character""s state by checking the character""s behavior and to suitably perform an action on the character.
The demand action may be performed according to the temperament of the character. Accordingly, the game content can be made dynamic and entertaining.
The aforementioned video game machine may further include at least one operation unit for executing an instruction concerning the action. This makes it possible to change the temperament setting of the character and to provide dynamic aspects for the game content, thereby making the video game highly entertaining.
According to the aforementioned video game machine, the temperament setting unit may update the temperament setting at predetermined intervals. This enables the game player to give an instruction according to a change of the temperament of the character, thereby providing dynamic aspects for the game content.
According to the aforementioned video game machine, the temperament of the character may be determined in accordance with predetermined parameters. With this arrangement, the temperament setting of the character is influenced by the action done to the character by the game player.
According to the aforementioned video game machine, the temperament setting unit may include a numerical-value providing unit for providing a numerical value used as an index for the predetermined parameter according to an instruction content concerning the action and the temperament of the character when the instruction is executed, an addition unit for adding the provided numerical value for each of the predetermined parameters, and a temperament selection unit for selectively determining the temperament according to an addition result obtained by the addition unit. As a consequence, the temperament setting of the character is reliably changed, thereby making the game content dynamic and highly entertaining.
The aforementioned video game machine may further include an emotion setting unit for setting one of a plurality of emotions for the character in accordance with an instruction content concerning the action. The behavior selection unit may select one of the behavior patterns from the behavior-pattern storage unit in accordance with the temperament and emotion of the character, and the behavior control unit may cause the character to behave according to the behavior pattern selected by the behavior selection unit.
With this configuration, the character""s emotion setting is changed according to an instruction from the game player, and the character behaves according to the set emotion. Thus, the game content can be made dynamic and highly entertaining.
According to the video game machine, the emotion setting unit may set the emotion in accordance with the temperament of the character when the instruction concerning the action is executed. Consequently, even with the same instruction, the character differently exhibits emotions according to the temperament of the character when the instruction concerning the action is executed.
The aforementioned video game machine may further include an emotion storage unit for storing a numerical value used as an index for each of the emotions. The emotion setting unit may include a subtraction unit for subtracting a predetermined value from the numerical values currently stored in the emotion storage unit corresponding to the emotions other than the emotion determined by the emotion setting unit according to the instruction content concerning the action and the temperament of the character when the instruction is executed, an addition unit for adding the subtracted value to the numerical value currently stored in the emotion storage unit corresponding to the emotion determined by the emotion setting unit, and an emotion selection unit for selectively determining the emotion having the greatest index value from the emotion storage unit. With this arrangement, the character""s emotion can be reliably changed, thereby providing dynamic aspects for the game content and making the video game interesting.
The aforementioned video game machine may further include a character storage unit for storing a plurality of characters, and a character selection unit for selecting one of the plurality of characters.
According to the aforementioned video game machine, a plurality of icons for specifying an instruction content given by the operation unit may be indicated on the display screen of the display unit, and the operation unit may select one of the plurality of icons. With this arrangement, the game player is able to proceed with the game by specifying one of the icons, thereby speedily responding to the character""s behavior.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video game machine that allows a character to appear in a game space displayed on a display screen of a display unit. The video game machine includes a temperament setting unit for providing a temperament of the character in accordance with an action performed on the character by a game player and the temperament of the character when the action is performed. A behavior-pattern storage unit stores a plurality of behavior patterns which are set in accordance with the temperament of the character. A behavior selection unit selects one of the behavior patterns in accordance with various situations in the game space. A behavior control unit causes the character to behave according to the behavior pattern selected by the behavior selection unit.
With this arrangement, the character appears in a game space displayed on the display screen of the display unit. The temperament setting of the character is changed according to a xe2x80x9cpraisingxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cstrokingxe2x80x9d action performed by a game player and the temperament of the character when the action is performed. The character then behaves based on the changed temperament according to various situations in the game space. For example, when the owner returns to the doorway, the character ignores or barks at the owner. Thus, even with the same environments and events surrounding the character, the character behaves differently according to the character""s current temperament. That is, the character autonomously behaves according to various situations in the game space regardless of instructions provided from the game player. Accordingly, the game player is able to enjoy almost the exact feeling of playing and living with the character. It is thus possible to implement a highly entertaining video game.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling a character behavior in a video game that allows a character to appear in a game space. The method includes a game-screen output step of outputting a game screen including the character to a display screen of a display unit, a temperament setting step of providing a temperament of the character in accordance with an action performed on the character by a game player and the temperament of the character when the action is performed, a behavior-pattern selection step of selecting, according to the temperament of the character, one of a plurality of behavior patterns which are set in accordance with the temperament of the character, and a character-behavior control step of causing the character to behave according to the selected behavior pattern.
With this arrangement, the temperament setting of the character is changed according to a xe2x80x9cpraisingxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cstrokingxe2x80x9d action performed by the game player and the temperament of the character when the action is performed. The character then behaves according to the changed temperament. Hence, the game player enjoys almost the exact feeling of playing and living with the character, thereby providing a highly entertaining video game machine.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable recording medium for recording a video game program that allows a character to appear in a game space. The game program includes a game-screen output step of outputting a game screen including the character to a display screen of a display unit, a temperament setting step of providing a temperament of the character in accordance with an action performed on the character by a game player and the temperament of the character when the action is performed, a behavior-pattern selection step of selecting, according to the temperament of the character, one of a plurality of behavior patterns which are set in accordance with the temperament of the character, and a character-behavior control step of causing the character to behave according to the selected behavior pattern.